Regulator



April 1952 w. G. NEILD 2,594,977

REGULATOR Original Filed April 1, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Til/l IN VENTOR.

zu/LLmm 5. NE/LD HWKNEV W. G. NEILD April 29, 1952 REGULATOR 2SHEETS-SHEET 2 G-riginal Filed April 1, 1948 fir DR E V Patented Apr.29, 1952 PATENT overc 12 IREGULATOR willia mnGeeNcilfli..Fairlawn, N..J., ass ignor to giBendixlAviationCorpol-ation,Teterboro,?'N.-'J., acorporation 'of Delaware filfiginalmnplication Ap i 119. 8 vSe ia.-:-No.

. This application ,is division. of application Patent 2,533,038 andrelates to improvementsin a carbon pile regulatoraofithe.,typedisclosed' in the copending i U., S....apDlicatiI1. Serial 'No. 684,3filed Ju .1.Q46;.by Wi11iami;G.:;Nei1d. now U. S. Patent 2,506,234.

An, object of the, invention.,.is .1 .to, provide an improved housingfor a regulator; including, a

novel arrangement forshieldinga voltage calibrating device, while.permitting the ready adjustment thereof.

Another object; .of the invention is to, provide a novel and compactarran ement i0 1. a carbon pile regulator in which. all adjustablepartshare enclosed to prevent... tampering by, i unauthorized personnel.

.8433. ;.,:Di,videdand this;application. ,0ctober i113 :.Q49s Serial.No- 121,115

Figure 2 is a fragmentaryview of the armature spring and mountingarrangement.

Figure 3,.is. a fragmentary viewlof a, modified form of thespringarrangement.

Figure 4 is anendview of...the regulator housing showingthe novel voltae .adiustme t and voltmeter test ,jacks provided therein.

Referring. to. ;the, drawing;v of Figure acarbon pile isillustratedratrlfl and comprises a-number of hollow discs oi carbon.whlchare stacked within atube ll. The. tube,||.- is preferably formedof a suitable. ceramicelectricalinsulating material to carry away. theheat-developed-by. the carbon pile l0. .Theucarbonpile l0,is of, a,suitable size and length to developgthe desired,reg-

,. ulating characteristics. Thetube l Lis 7 received within a metalshell; I 2.;and; in;Q1tder.toiacililla the dissipation of the heat,'theshellgjs prefer- .ably provided with fins .I3 ,.over., its length so asto more readily,jdissipatelthev heat-awayjirom the pileand increasethecapa'city,01:v the pile. Contact elements l4 and; 15. are adiustablymounted within. the tube l .l; at the, .opposite ends of the carbon pile1B. 'Ifhe contact element I4 :2 Affixedat one end" to 'the contactelement-|5 is a' tubular ,member -Q 0* formed of"; a material such ascopper havinga relatively' high temperature coefficient of expansion."The tubular member projects interiorlywithin-the hollow carbon discs Ill and has; secured-to its othenend The plate is fastened to the-shell 1I 2 by bolts '32 which are suitably -insula-ted'-by-memj beri34 fromthe;plate 30. The plate 30 -is'also insulated from Y the shell l2 by 2.suitable insulatingstrip 36.

Through the latter arrangement. *iirwill-be-seen that upon 'an-:increase? in temperature tending to cause the pile 10 to lengthen, Ithe -tube-'-: 20 20" having a hightemperaturecoefli'cient-of'egcpansionwill also tend-*tofilengthen relative to' therod24 causing the-contact element 15to-move toward the right soaasto-compensate=-iorthe lengtheningof; the pile duetosuchrise intemperature.

A decrease in temperature -wi-ll=-have -the=oppositeefiect onthe tube"211 so that-the*tube-.will tend to move the contact element 15 towardthe left to compensate for the temperature efi'ect on jectinginteriorlyWithin-the hollow carbon-discs l0,'the same will bedirectlyresponsiveto the temperature of the carbon pile 10' so asto-more accurately compensate *for variations inthe length of the piledue to change-in temperature.

At the opposite endof the carbon pile 10, the contact element [4-isregulated by. action 'ofiithe armaturel8 solas to vary the compressiveforce applied on the'carbon pile l0 and accordingly the resistancethereof. 'Thearmatureelflrali i spring assembly therefore; may; be .ofhatype; disclosed and claimed in the.;,copen ding application;- serial No.684,379,; filed :July 1 7,; 1946 qby zwilliam G.

' Neild, now U. S. Patent 2,506,234.

'AS show ieu1'e'. :the armature lilincludes 1 a flexible metalhinge 38which has. one end riveted v to the armature I8,-. and. the, .othenendfastened by bolt 40 and-bar to. oneend of a U-shaped supporting.. member.Mhavin legs which extendat opposite sides, of ane lectromagnet 46. Theelectromagnetjfiiis,iaStened -by bolts. 48- to ,a supporting plate .49.Theubolts 48 also serveto securethe U- -sh aped member to the ..p1ate 149. v Screw .ithreajdedlmenea edgjnzithe plate 49 is an adjustableelectromagnetic core 50, which projects through the electromagnet 46into operating spaced relation to the armature I8. The plate 49 isfastened to the shell I2 by rods 52, as shown in Figure 1.

While one end of the armature I8 is flexibly connected by the hingemember 38, the opposite end of the armature I8 is operatively connectedto a spring mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 54 and shown inFigures 1 and 2.

The aforenoted mechanism includes a ball bearing 56 which rides at oneside in a seat 58 carried by the armature I8, while the opposite side ofthe ball bearing rides in a seat 60 formed in an adjustable member 62.The member 62 has projecting therefrom a stem portion 64 having screwthreads which engage in corresponding internal threads formed in amember 68. A look. nut serves to fasten the screw 62 in adjustedposition relative to the member 68. The member 68, as best shown inFigure 2, extends at a ninety degree angle to the plate 49. One side ofthe member 68 is fastened by bolts I2 to one end of a curved metalspring blade I5. The other end of the spring blade I5 is fastened to thesupporting plate 49 by bolts I8. At the opposite side of the member 68,there is fastened by nut I3 of bolt I2 one end of a similar curved metalspring blade "I5. The opposite end of the latter curved metal springblade is similarly fastened to the supporting member 49 by like boltsindicated by the numeral it. In operation it will be seen that upon aforce being applied at the armature I8 by the electromagnet 46, thespring blades 15 will. tend to wrap or roll on the surface of thevertical member 08 and the horizontal member 49 as the armature I8 movesunder the force of electromagnet 46. Such action will decrease theradiusof the spring 75 and greatly increase its resistance to force, soas to provide a force deflection curve which very closely resembles aninverse square curve and effect a rolling non-slipping action with aminimum friction.

The latter force deflection curve will closely approximate that of theelectromagnet 48 which; will apply a force to the armature I8 whichcontinuously increases in excess of a linear relation. as the armatureI8 approaches the electromagnet 46 and which force will varyapproximately" inversely as the square of the distance between;

the armature and magnet. Thus, the opposing armature spring T5 isarranged to compensate for the varying force applied by theelectromagnet to the armature I8. Basic correspondence between the forceof the spring "I5 and the electro-- magnet 46 may be convenientlyaffected by ad-- justing the member 62 of the spring mechanism. 54 andthe core of the magnet 46 so that the.- force of the one matches that ofthe other.

A modified form of the spring arrangement is shown in Figure 3 in whichcorresponding numerals indicate like parts to those described in Figure2.

In the arrangement of Figure 3, the member 08 is split at TI to provideleg portions I8 and I9 which have an inherent spring tension tending tobias the legs l8 and I9 inward. A wedge-like screw is screw threadedlyengaged in the split portion I! of the member 68 for adjusting the leg'9 portions 18 and I8 relative to the spring blades 15. The screw 80 hasa cleft portion 82 readily accessible through an opening 84 in theplate. 49 so that the screw 80 may be readily manually terminal board,not shown,

4 adjusted by means of a screw driver or other suitable tool.

The adjustment of the leg portions I8 and I9 relative to the springblades I5 permits the force characteristic of the spring blades l5 to bevaried so that the force deflection curve of the springs I5 may bematched more closely with the force of the electromagnet 46.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a leafspring 85 fastened at opposite ends to the shell I2, as shown in Figure2. Connected to the leaf spring 85 intermediate its opposite ends is thebutton IS. The leaf spring 85 biases the floating contact element I4which is loosely positioned in tube II towards the armature I8. Thearmature I8 is spring hinged at 38 and biased by the spring mechanism 54in a clockwise direction. The leaf spring 85 serves to keep the pile I8together in the event the whole armature end should be removed and alsocenters the button I6 in relation to the member I! of the armature iswithout hand-fitting or complicated linkage.

A cover cap 80, shown in Figure 1, fits lightly about one end of theshell I2 and surrounds the armature spring assembly so as to protect thesame from dust and possible injury. The cover cap 80 is fastened inposition by a suitable screw 81.

At the opposite end of the shell I2 there is provided a bracket 96, asshown in Figure l, fastened to the shell I2 by a nut 92 screw threadedlyengaged on rod 52. Mounted in the bracket are jacks or electricalconnectors 93 and an adjustable resistor 94 having a rotatable arm notshown which may be adjustably positioned on a resistor 98 by adjustmentof a rotatable slotted head member I00. The variable resistor 94 has thevariable resistance element 98 connected in series with theelectromagnetic coil 46 so as to set the value of the electricalcondition or voltage for which the coil 46 is to regulate. The jacks 93are suitably connected across the regulated condition or voltage so thata voltmeter or other measuring instrument may be connected into thecircuit through the jacks for testing purposes. A cover cap I92 isfastened to the bracket 90 by bolt I04. The cover cap I02 fits tightlyabout the latter end of the shell I2 and protects the calibratingresistor 94 from dust and possible damage. Suitable openings are formedin the end of the cover cap I02 so as to permit the ends of the jacks 93and the slotted head I00 of the adjustable resistor 94 to projecttherethrough.

This arrangement, which permits only head I00 to be exposed, is safeboth electrically and mechanically. In former units where the resistor94 was externally located there was provided fire hazards from hotwiring.

The entire regulator assembly may be conveniently mounted on a baseplate I05 which in turn is supported by suitable shock mounts indicatedgenerally by the numeral I I0, as shown in Figure 4.

Suitable electrical conductors, not shown, lead from one end of thecarbon pile I0, while another suitable electrical conductor leads fromthe other end of the carbon pile I0. These electrical conductors lead inturn to an insulated which may be mounted in the base plate I05 so thatthe carbon pile may be conveniently connected into the regulatingcircuit as is well known in the art. Electrical conductors also leadfrom the terminal board to the electromagnet 46 through the calibratingresistor 94 so that the same may be responsive to the regulatedcondition or voltage.

In the operation of the spring mechanism 54, in the arrangement shown inFigures 1 and 2, it will be seen that as the armature i8 is drawntowards the electromagnetic core 50, the spring plates 75 will roll orwrap along the member 68 and in toward the center on the horizontalmember 49 and thereby decrease the radius of the curve and increase theresistance of the spring 15 to the magnet force so as to efiect basiccorrespondence with the nonlinear force characteristic of theelectromagnet 46.

Through the arrangement of the ball bearing 56 the element 62 may beconveniently rotated so as to vary the tension of the springs 15 andthereby match the deflection curve of the spring '15 with that of theelectromagnet 46. Through the adjustment screw 82 of Figure 3 thecharacteristic of the spring [5 may be varied so as to more accuratelybalance or match the electromagnet 46.

It will be further seen that upon changes in temperature tending to varythe length of the pile H], the adjustment of the contact element l5through the coaction of the tube and rod 24 will readily compensate forsuch changes in temperature.

Although only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, various changes in the form and relative arrangements of theparts may be made to suit requirements.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electrical regulator of the type including a variableresistance means, a housing for said means, an electromagnet, anarmature movably mounted in relation to said electromagnet, meansoperatively connecting the armature to the variable electricalresistance means; the improvement comprising a bracket carried by saidhousing, a calibrating resistor for varying the setting of saidelectromagnet, said calibrating resistor supported by said bracket, anadjustable member for varying said calibrating resistor, a cover capfastened to said bracket and enclosing said calibrating resistor andbracket so as to shield said adjustable member from accidentaldisplacement, said cover cap fitting tightly about one end of thehousing and having an opening formed therein, and said adjustable memberhaving a cleft portion accessible for manual adjustment through saidopening in the cover cap.

2. The combination defined by claim 1 including a pair of connectorjacks carried by said bracket and shielded by said cover cap, said covercap having other openings formed therein for access to said jacks, andsaid jacks connected to the input to said electromagnet so thatadjustment of the setting of said electromagnet by said calibratingresistor may be readily tested through said jacks without the removal ofsaid cover cap;

3. In an electrical regulator of the type including a variableresistance means, a housing for said means, an electromagnet, anarmature movably mounted in relation to said electromagnet, meansoperatively connecting the armature to the variable electricalresistance means, the improvement comprising a bracket, means forsecuring said bracket to said housing, a variable resistor forselectively adjusting said electromagnet, means including said bracketfor mounting said resistor, an adjustable member for varying saidresistor, a substantially cup-shaped cover adapted to coact with saidhousing to enclose said bracket and said resistor, said cover having anopening formed therein, said adjustable member having a slotted portionpositioned for accessibility for manual adjustment through said openingin said cover.

4. The combination defined by claim 3 including a plurality of testjacks supported by said bracket and enclosed by said cover, said coverhaving other openings formed therein, said last openings and said jacksbeing so positioned re1- ative to each other to provide access to saidjacks, said jacks being connected to said electromagnet so thatelectrical condition of said electromagnet may be readily tested throughsaid jacks without the removal of said cover.

WILLIAM G. NEILD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,938,396 Megow Dec. 5, 19332,036,488 Moore Apr. 7, 1936 2,076,912 Moore Apr. 13, 1937 2,307,612Westendorp Jan. 5, 1943 2,408,478 Petty Oct. 1, 1946 2,418,687 Arnesen-1 Apr. 8, 1947

